Control system and semiconductor device

Abstract

A semiconductor device for controlling an apparatus includes a first memory that stores data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus to be performed with respect to the factor; a second memory, and a processor executing program instructions and configured to estimate the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the apparatus, and decide control contents of the apparatus based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the apparatus. The first memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is greater than a threshold, and the second memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or less than the threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A semiconductor device for controlling an apparatus, the semiconductor device comprising:
 a first memory that stores data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus to be performed with respect to the factor; 
 a second memory; and 
 a processor executing program instructions and configured to:
 estimate the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the apparatus; and 
 decide control contents of the apparatus based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the apparatus, 
 
 wherein the first memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is greater than a threshold, 
 wherein the second memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or less than the threshold, 
 wherein when the estimated required time is greater than the threshold, the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, and 
 wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or less than the threshold, the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on data stored in the second memory. 
 
     
     
       2. The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second memory has a faster access rate than the first memory, and
 wherein the apparatus comprises a vehicle capable of self-driving. 
 
     
     
       3. The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 ,
 when the processor control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the second memory, the processor updates frequency information corresponding to the data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus so as to indicate a higher frequency. 
 
     
     
       4. The semiconductor device according to  claim 3 ,
 when the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first storage memory, the processor preferentially replaces data corresponding to frequency information indicating a lower frequency. 
 
     
     
       5. The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor executing program instructions and configured to:
 recognizing a state of objects present in a periphery of the apparatus; and 
 calculating an estimated priority based on the state recognized by the state of objects present in the periphery to control the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       6. The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to: 
 compare the decided control contents of the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus with respect to the factor; and 
 store data indicating, in association with each other, the factor and the control contents of the apparatus with respect to the factor in the first memory, when the compared control contents of the apparatus are not consistent. 
 
     
     
       7. The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second memory selectively stores data stored in the first memory, 
 when the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, the processor replaces any of the data stored in the second memory with data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus, 
 wherein the second storage memory can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage memory, and that stores a smaller number of pieces of data than the number of pieces of data stored in the first storage memory. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for controlling an apparatus, the method comprising:
 storing, by a first memory, data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus to be performed with respect to the factor; 
 storing data by a second memory; 
 estimating the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the apparatus; and 
 deciding control contents of the apparatus based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the apparatus, 
 wherein the first memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is greater than a threshold, 
 wherein the second memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or less than the threshold, 
 wherein when the estimated required time is greater than the threshold, deciding control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, and 
 wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or less than the threshold, deciding control contents of the apparatus based on data stored in the second memory. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the second memory has a faster access rate than the first memory, and
 wherein the apparatus comprises a self-driving vehicle. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein when the control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the second memory, updating frequency information corresponding to the data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus so as to indicate a higher frequency. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein when deciding control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first storage memory, preferentially replacing data corresponding to frequency information indicating a lower frequency. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 recognizing a state of objects present in a periphery of the apparatus; and 
 calculating an estimated priority based on the state recognized by the state of objects present in the periphery to control the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 comparing the decided control contents of the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus with respect to the factor; and 
 storing data indicating, in association with each other, the factor and the control contents of the apparatus with respect to the factor in the first memory, when the compared control contents of the apparatus are not consistent. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the second memory selectively stores data stored in the first memory, and 
 when deciding control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, replacing any of the data stored in the second memory with data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       15. A program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable store medium, including instructions executable by a processor according to the method according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
       16. An apparatus, comprising:
 a first memory that stores data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to the apparatus and control contents of the apparatus to be performed with respect to the factor; 
 a second memory; and 
 a processor executing program instructions and configured to:
 estimate the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the apparatus; and 
 decide control contents of the apparatus based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the apparatus, 
 
 wherein the first memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is greater than a threshold, 
 wherein the second memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or less than the threshold, 
 wherein when the estimated required time is greater than the threshold, the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, and 
 wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or less than the threshold, the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on data stored in the second memory. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or less than the threshold, the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on data stored in the second memory. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the second memory has a faster access rate than the first memory, and
 wherein the processor controls a movement of the apparatus that comprises a vehicle. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 when the processor control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the second memory, the processor updates frequency information corresponding to the data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus so as to indicate a higher frequency, and 
 when the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first storage memory, the processor preferentially replaces data corresponding to frequency information indicating a lower frequency. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second memory selectively stores data stored in the first memory, and 
 when the processor decides control contents of the apparatus based on the data stored in the first memory, the processor replaces any of the data stored in the second memory with data indicating the decided control contents of the apparatus.